Sociology 1000 Final Exam 2026 Brekhus Mizzou
Questions And Correct Answers
According to Gans "The Functions of Poverty" how is poverty beneficial and to
whom is it beneficial for? Provide an example of an economic benefit of poverty.
Benefits:
-Provides some middle class jobs (social workers, pawn shops) with profit margins
-Allows us to get some of the dirty work done cheaply (Reserve Labor Pools)
Who does it benefit:
-Non-Poor but hurts Poor
-Good for some but not all
Example: Trash man, need them but they don't get paid enough to live a nice life
How does the movie Stand and Deliver relate to the article on East St. Louis and
educational inequalities by Kozol?
Fewer/Less diverse resources that are less desirable for teaching/learning = East
STL
Focused on how education is a potential equalizer if you have the right person=
Movie
,Faculty, funding was inadequate in multiple ways that put students at a
disadvantage
How does the movie Stand and Deliver demonstrate ways that education can be an
equalizer? How does it demonstrate obstacles to education as an equalizer?
Shows it can be an equalizer by: If you get an education you can overcome race,
social class, and can be upwardly mobile
Obstacles: Have to succeed twice because the first time the scores were challenged
In what ways does our education system reinforce rather than reduce inequality?
What is tracking?
Reinforces inequality: Resources are distributed unevenly to educate with (Poorer
districts get less resources while rich districts get more)
Tracking: Tracked (Watched over time) for certain outcomes, tracks are self
fulfilling so those placed on the "honors track" will do well over time even if they
don't fit in
What is the Davis Moore thesis? What are some critiques of this thesis?
Thesis: Stratification is good and so is inequality in jobs. So for example a trash
man should get paid less than a lawyer
Critique: What jobs pay aren't always tied to societal benefits (Garbage man gets
paid less for a more valuable job to society than a celebrity)
, Needs to make distinction between professions only looking for top talent and
those not
According to lecture how is race a fiction? How is race a reality? What evidence
shows us that race is socially and culturally constructed?
How is race fiction: It's biological, there is no biologically separate racial group
How is race a reality: It's social, acts as there are separate racial groups
Evidence that shows us race is socially and culturally constructed: Varies culturally
(A white person here may be black in another country)
According to lecture how do white and black views on racism differ?
White: More likely to define racism based on motives, intent, and meanness
Blacks: More likely to define racism based on effects, racially desperate
consequences, cumulative effects
What is environmental racism? How does it relate to Gans' functions of poverty?
Where environmental hazards are placed, usually near poor neighborhoods
How does it relate: Political poverty is at core-interstate highways placement
(Ex:on side of dam that floods)
Questions And Correct Answers
According to Gans "The Functions of Poverty" how is poverty beneficial and to
whom is it beneficial for? Provide an example of an economic benefit of poverty.
Benefits:
-Provides some middle class jobs (social workers, pawn shops) with profit margins
-Allows us to get some of the dirty work done cheaply (Reserve Labor Pools)
Who does it benefit:
-Non-Poor but hurts Poor
-Good for some but not all
Example: Trash man, need them but they don't get paid enough to live a nice life
How does the movie Stand and Deliver relate to the article on East St. Louis and
educational inequalities by Kozol?
Fewer/Less diverse resources that are less desirable for teaching/learning = East
STL
Focused on how education is a potential equalizer if you have the right person=
Movie
,Faculty, funding was inadequate in multiple ways that put students at a
disadvantage
How does the movie Stand and Deliver demonstrate ways that education can be an
equalizer? How does it demonstrate obstacles to education as an equalizer?
Shows it can be an equalizer by: If you get an education you can overcome race,
social class, and can be upwardly mobile
Obstacles: Have to succeed twice because the first time the scores were challenged
In what ways does our education system reinforce rather than reduce inequality?
What is tracking?
Reinforces inequality: Resources are distributed unevenly to educate with (Poorer
districts get less resources while rich districts get more)
Tracking: Tracked (Watched over time) for certain outcomes, tracks are self
fulfilling so those placed on the "honors track" will do well over time even if they
don't fit in
What is the Davis Moore thesis? What are some critiques of this thesis?
Thesis: Stratification is good and so is inequality in jobs. So for example a trash
man should get paid less than a lawyer
Critique: What jobs pay aren't always tied to societal benefits (Garbage man gets
paid less for a more valuable job to society than a celebrity)
, Needs to make distinction between professions only looking for top talent and
those not
According to lecture how is race a fiction? How is race a reality? What evidence
shows us that race is socially and culturally constructed?
How is race fiction: It's biological, there is no biologically separate racial group
How is race a reality: It's social, acts as there are separate racial groups
Evidence that shows us race is socially and culturally constructed: Varies culturally
(A white person here may be black in another country)
According to lecture how do white and black views on racism differ?
White: More likely to define racism based on motives, intent, and meanness
Blacks: More likely to define racism based on effects, racially desperate
consequences, cumulative effects
What is environmental racism? How does it relate to Gans' functions of poverty?
Where environmental hazards are placed, usually near poor neighborhoods
How does it relate: Political poverty is at core-interstate highways placement
(Ex:on side of dam that floods)
